Recessed and embedded die coreless package

ABSTRACT

Methods of forming a microelectronic packaging structure and associated structures formed thereby are described. Those methods may include forming a cavity in a plating material to hold a die, attaching the die in the cavity, forming a dielectric material adjacent the die, forming vias in the dielectric material adjacent the die, forming PoP lands in the vias, forming interconnects in the vias, and then removing the plating material to expose the PoP lands and die, wherein the die is disposed above the PoP lands.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/831,250 filed Aug. 20, 2015, entitled “RECESSED AND EMBEDDED DIE CORELESS PACKAGE, which is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/254,474 filed Apr. 16, 2014, entitled “RECESSED AND EMBEDDED DIE CORELESS PACKAGE”, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,147,669 issued Sep. 29, 2015, which is a Divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/655,321 filed Dec. 29, 2009, entitled “RECESSED AND EMBEDDED DIE CORELESS PACKAGE”, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,742,561 issued Jun. 3, 2014.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As semiconductor technology advances for higher processor performance, advances in packaging architectures may include package-on-package (PoP) architecture and other such assemblies. As the design of package structures becomes more complex, there is often a resulting increase in assembly expense. Thus there is a need to significantly lower package and assembly costs for advanced package structures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming certain embodiments of the present invention, the advantages of this invention can be more readily ascertained from the following description of the invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGS. 1a-1m represent methods of forming structures according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 represents a system according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that show, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. It is to be understood that the various embodiments of the invention, although different, are not necessarily mutually exclusive. For example, a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described herein, in connection with one embodiment, may be implemented within other embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. In addition, it is to be understood that the location or arrangement of individual elements within each disclosed embodiment may be modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims, appropriately interpreted, along with the full range of equivalents to which the claims are entitled. In the drawings, like numerals refer to the same or similar functionality throughout the several views.

Methods and associated structures of forming and utilizing a microelectronic structure, such as a package structure, are described. Those methods may comprise forming a cavity in a plating material to hold a die, attaching the die in the cavity, forming a dielectric material adjacent to the die, forming vias in the dielectric material adjacent the die, forming PoP lands in the vias, forming interconnects in the vias, and then removing the plating material to expose the PoP lands and die. Methods of the present invention enable the fabrication of package-on-package architectures such as PoP assemblies comprising partially recessed and/or fully embedded die or any other type of ball grid array (BGA) package.

FIGS. 1a-1m illustrate embodiments of a method of forming a microelectronic structure, such as a package structure, for example. FIG. la illustrates a material 100. In one embodiment, the material 100 may comprise a plating material, such as but not limited to a copper foil plating material, for example. In some embodiments, any suitable plating material may be utilized, depending upon the particular application. In FIG. 1b , a cavity 102 may be formed in the material 100. The cavity 102 may be formed utilizing any suitable etching process in some embodiments, such as are known in the art. In an embodiment, the cavity 102 may be formed such that the cavity 102 may hold a die, such as a microelectronic die, for example. The cavity 102 may comprise a bottom portion 101 an angled portion 103, and a top portion 105. In an embodiment, the bottom and top portions may be separated by a barrier layer to aid in the formation of the cavity structure, especially for an etching process. In an embodiment (not shown), PoP land structures (to be described further herein) can be formed on surface 101.

In an embodiment, a die 104 may be attached within the cavity 102 (FIG. 1c ). In an embodiment, the die 104 may comprise a thin die 104, and may comprise a thickness of below about 150 microns. In an embodiment, the die 104 may be attached to the top portion 105 of the cavity 101. In an embodiment, the die 104 may comprise at least one sidewall 106, a top side 107 and a bottom/active side 108. In some cases, an adhesive film and/or an attach process may be used to attach the die 104 into the cavity 102 of the plating material 100. In an embodiment, the adhesive film (not shown), can be used as a permanent part of a final package to protect the die backside, to provide a surface for marking, and/or manage any warpage that may occur within the die 104, for example.

A dielectric material 110 may be formed on the plating material 100 and adjacent the die 104 that is in the cavity 102 of the plating material 100 (FIG. 1d ). In an embodiment, the dielectric material 110 may be formed by a laminating process, for example. The dielectric material 110 may be formed on the bottom portion 101 of the cavity 102, on the angled portion 103 of the cavity 102, and on a portion of the top portion 105 of the cavity 102 of the plating material 100 that surrounds the die 104. Vias 112 may be formed in a region 114 of the dielectric material 110 adjacent the die 104 (FIG. 1e ). In an embodiment, a package on package (PoP) land area 113 may be formed within the via 112, wherein a portion of the plating material 100 may be removed to form the PoP land area 113. In an embodiment, the plating material 100 and the dielectric material 110 may be removed using any suitable etching process.

In an embodiment, a PoP land structure 116 may be formed in the PoP land area 113 (FIG. 1f ). The PoP land structure 116 may be formed in the PoP land area 113 by using an electrolytic plating process, for example, however any suitable process may be utilized to form the PoP land structure 116. In an embodiment, the plating material 100 within the PoP land area 113 may be used as a plating bus for the formation of the PoP land structure 116. In an embodiment, the plating material 100 may comprise a copper foil that may be used as a plating bus. In some cases, plating metallurgies may include gold, nickel, gold/nickel, gold/nickel/palladium, and the similar suitable materials, according to the particular application. In an embodiment, wire bond pads may be plated on the PoP land area 113, allowing for a mixed-technology stacking on a CPU die backside, for example.

In an embodiment, vias 118 may be formed in a die area 119, wherein die pads, for example copper die pads, maybe exposed on the active side 108 of the die 104 (FIG. 1g ). The vias 112 adjacent the PoP land structures 116 (those located in the dielectric region 114) and the vias 118 in the die area 119 may be plated with a metallic material (FIG. 1h ) to form PoP land structure 116 interconnect structures 117 and to form die pad interconnect structures 120. In an embodiment, the PoP land interconnect structure 117 may be electrically connected to the PoP land structure 116, and the die pad interconnect structure 120 may be electrically connected to die pads on the active side 108 of the die 104.

In an embodiment, a semi-additive process (SAP) may be used to form the die pad interconnect structures 120 and the PoP interconnect structures 118. In some embodiments, the die pad interconnect structures 120 and the PoP interconnect structures 118 may be formed in the same process step, or in other embodiments, the die pad interconnect structures 120 and the PoP interconnect structures 118 may be formed in separate formation steps. A second dielectric layer 110′ may be formed on the die pad interconnect structures 120 and the PoP interconnect structures 118 (FIG. 1i ). A first metallization layer 121 may be formed in the second dielectric layer 110′.

Subsequent layers may then be formed using standard substrate SAP build-up processing, for example, wherein further dielectric layers 120″ and metallization layers 121′ may be formed upon each other to form a coreless substrate 125 by utilizing a buildup process (FIG. 1j ). The plating material 100 may then be removed from the die 104 and the PoP land structures 116 of the coreless substrate 125, exposing the PoP lands and the die, to form a coreless package structure 126 (FIG. 1k ). The coreless package structure 126 may comprise a fillet structure 127 of dielectric material 110 around the die 104, wherein the dielectric material 110 may surround the sidewall 106 and the bottom 108 of the die 104, but wherein the dielectric material 110 is absent on the top side 107 of the die 104.

The fillet structure 127 may comprise a portion of the dielectric 110 that may be angled/raised in relation to a planar top portion 111 of the dielectric 110 of the coreless substrate 125. The geometry of this fillet structure 127 can be optimized to provide maximum reliability of the die/package, wherein an angle 128 of the fillet structure 127 may be varied to optimize reliability. In an embodiment, the angle of the fillet structure may comprise about 70 degrees or less, but may be varied according to the application.

In an embodiment, the coreless package structure 126 may comprise the die 104 being at least partially embedded in the coreless substrate 125. In other embodiments, the coreless package structure 126 may comprise the die 104 being substantially entirely embedded in the coreless substrate 125. In some embodiments, the top side 107 of the die 104 may be substantially coplanar with the top portion 111 of the dielectric 110. In another embodiment, there may be a distance 129 between the top side 107 of the die 104 and a top side 131 of the PoP land 116.

The coreless package structure 126 may comprise package interconnect structures areas 122, wherein interconnect structures 124, such as ball gird array (BGA) balls, may be attached (FIG. 1l ). The PoP land structures 116 of the coreless package structure 126 may comprise raised, electrolytically plated lands 116 disposed on top of the coreless substrate 125, thus enabling the attachment of another package on top of the coreless package structure 126 (e.g. Package-on-Package structure).

FIG. lm depicts a PoP structure 130, wherein a second package 132 is connected to the coreless package structure 126 by attachment to the PoP land structures 116. In an embodiment, the second package 132 may comprise a die 104′ that is directly above the die 104 of the coreless package structure 126. Interconnect balls 124′ of the second package 132 may be attached to the PoP land structures 116 of the coreless package structure 126.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary system 200 capable of being operated with methods for fabricating a microelectronic structure, such as the coreless package structure 126 of FIG. 1l , for example. It will be understood that the present embodiment is but one of many possible systems in which the coreless package structures of the present invention may be used.

FIG. 2 shows a computer system according to an embodiment of the invention. System 200 includes a processor 210, a memory device 220, a memory controller 230, a graphics controller 240, an input and output (I/O) controller 250, a display 252, a keyboard 254, a pointing device 256, a peripheral device 258, and a bus 260. Processor 210 may be a general purpose processor or an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). I/O controller 250 may include a communication module for wired or wireless communication. Memory device 220 may be a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) device, a static random access memory (SRAM) device, a flash memory device, or a combination of these memory devices. Thus, in some embodiments, memory device 220 in system 200 does not have to include a DRAM device.

One or more of the components shown in system 200 may be included in one or more integrated circuit packages, such as the coreless package structure 126 of FIG. 1l for example. For example, processor 210, or memory device 220, or at least a portion of I/O controller 250, or a combination of these components may be included in an integrated circuit package that includes at least one embodiment of a structure described in FIGS. 1a -1 m.

System 200 may include computers (e.g., desktops, laptops, hand-helds, servers, Web appliances, routers, etc.), wireless communication devices (e.g., cellular phones, cordless phones, pagers, personal digital assistants, etc.), computer-related peripherals (e.g., printers, scanners, monitors, etc.), entertainment devices (e.g., televisions, radios, stereos, tape and compact disc players, video cassette recorders, camcorders, digital cameras, MP3 (Motion Picture Experts Group, Audio Layer 3) players, video games, watches, etc.), and the like.

Benefits of the present invention enable a new packaging architecture that can meet design requirements for future mobile/handheld system on a chip (SoC) processors at roughly half the cost of current package architectures. Embodiments provide a method of embedding a die in a substrate, which enables the elimination of many assembly processes. Embodiments enable thin die assembly, PoP compatibility, substrate design rule scalability, package thickness reduction, and package/assembly cost reduction. In addition, the substrate is no longer confined to strip manufacturing capability, which enables full panel processing, which also reduces costs.

Although the foregoing description has specified certain steps and materials that may be used in the method of the present invention, those skilled in the art will appreciate that many modifications and substitutions may be made. Accordingly, it is intended that all such modifications, alterations, substitutions and additions be considered to fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. In addition, it is appreciated that various microelectronic structures, such as package structures, are well known in the art. Therefore, the Figures provided herein illustrate only portions of an exemplary microelectronic device that pertains to the practice of the present invention. Thus the present invention is not limited to the structures described herein. 

1-6. (canceled)
 7. A package structure, comprising: a dielectric material, wherein the dielectric material includes a first surface, a second surface that is spaced apart from the first surface, and a protruding portion that projects from the first surface and includes the second surface; and a die at least partially disposed in the dielectric material, and is at least partially embedded in the protruding portion of the dielectric material.
 8. The package structure of claim 7, wherein the first surface is parallel the second surface.
 9. The package structure of claim 7, wherein the die is attached to the dielectric material with an adhesive film.
 10. The package structure of claim 7, wherein the package structure is a first package structure, wherein the package structure includes a second package structure, wherein the first and second package structures are coupled together in a package-on-package (PoP) configuration.
 11. The package structure of claim 10, wherein the first package structure includes one or more interconnects comprising vias with contact pads, to provide electric coupling with the second package structure.
 12. The package structure of claim 11, wherein the one or more interconnects are first interconnects, wherein the second package structure includes one or more second interconnects to couple with respective ones of the first interconnects.
 13. The package structure of claim 12, further comprising one or more third interconnects formed in a die area of the first package structure, to provide electrical connectivity between the die and other components of the package structure or another apparatus.
 14. The package structure of claim 7, wherein the protruding portion further includes at least one side connecting the first and second surfaces, to form, at least in part, the protruding portion, wherein an angle between the at least one side and a plane of the second surface is about 70 degree or less.
 15. The package structure of claim 7, wherein the package structure comprises a coreless package.
 16. A method for providing a package structure, comprising: forming a cavity in a plating material of the package structure; attaching a die inside the cavity; disposing a dielectric material to at least partially cover the die inside the cavity; removing at least a portion of the plating material, wherein removing includes exposing a first surface of the dielectric material, and exposing, at least in part, a second surface of the dielectric material, the second surface being spaced apart from the first surface, to form a protruding portion of the dielectric material that projects from the first surface and includes the second surface, wherein the die is at least partially housed in the protruding portion of the dielectric material.
 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising: providing one or more interconnect structures inside the dielectric material.
 18. The method of claim 17, wherein providing interconnect structures includes forming one or more vias with contact pads, wherein forming the one or more vias with contact pads includes disposing the contact pads on the first surface of the dielectric material.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein removing at least a top portion of the packaging layer further includes exposing the contact pads, to provide electric coupling with another package structure.
 20. The method of claim 16, wherein the attaching a die inside the cavity includes disposing the die in the cavity using an adhesive film.
 21. The method of claim 16, wherein the forming a cavity in a plating material includes etching the plating material to form a top portion, a bottom portion, and an angled portion of the cavity, wherein the angled portion connects the top and bottom portion, wherein the attaching the die inside the cavity includes adhering the die to the top portion of the cavity.
 22. The method of claim 16, wherein the disposing a dielectric material to at least partially cover the die inside the cavity includes forming the dielectric material on the plating material, adjacent the die inside the cavity, to fill a portion of the cavity that is left free after attaching the die inside the cavity.
 23. The method of claim 16, wherein exposing the first and second surfaces includes providing the second surface parallel the first surface.
 24. A computer system, comprising: a processor; and a memory device communicatively coupled with the processor, wherein at least one of the processor or memory device comprises an integrated circuit (IC) package having a dielectric material, wherein the dielectric material includes a first surface, a second surface that is spaced apart from the first surface, and a protruding portion that projects from the first surface and includes the second surface; and a die at least partially disposed in the dielectric material, and is at least partially embedded in the protruding portion of the dielectric material.
 25. The computer system of claim 24, wherein the IC package comprises a coreless package.
 26. The computer system of claim 24, wherein the IC package comprises a first IC package, wherein the computer system includes a second IC package, wherein the first and second IC package structures comprise respective coreless package structures and are coupled together in a package-on-package (PoP) configuration.
 27. The computer system of claim 26, wherein the first and second IC package structures include respective one or more interconnects, to provide electrical coupling of the first and second IC packages in the PoP configuration. 